Where Passion Leads
Coming to Bradley with dreams of building a future as a great actor is quite a bold vision. While Josiah Williams ’14 may not have found himself in front of Hollywood cameras, this ambition fueled a creative journey that led to unexpected self-discovery.
The Milwaukee native brought his passion for performance to Bradley, quickly realizing it was the perfect setting for him. “I craved my own space to grow and feel like an adult,” Williams said. “But I also didn’t want to be overwhelmed, and that’s why Bradley was the perfect fit.” A self-proclaimed “theater kid,” Williams naturally found his academic lane, but he soon felt the pangs of a familiar college condition—he was homesick. Instead of withdrawing from campus life, he found himself spending time with students from his department “who were running around campus taking pictures and videos of anything and everything,” he recalled. This small social connection would serve as a catalyst for the path his life and career would eventually take.
“I think that was the beginning of everything outside of theater for me,” he admitted. “Making music and shooting video helped me build new skills and distracted me from missing my family. … Little did I know it was something I would later do in my career.”
His appetite for creativity developed into a penchant for storytelling. Williams began shooting promotional videos for Bradley’s Greek organizations, creating music videos that celebrated Peoria’s communities and exploring a direction beyond the theater stage that he had never expected. “I'm not somebody who has it all put together,” he said, adding, “but I think being at Bradley and being in Peoria both taught me to recognize and act upon my own potential.”
Others also recognized his abilities and encouraged him to take his talents further. “I accidentally walked up to the table for Congresswoman Cheri Bustos at the campus job fair and submitted my resume. I had never taken a political science class but, after seeing my music videos, they gave me a chance to work as representative for four years,” Williams said. “At the same time, I was also emceeing the Bradley Braves basketball games. It was so fun to be able to do a different version of theater in front of the crowds for multiple seasons. Those years are what made Peoria and Bradley such a special place for me.”
Now seeing his life path more clearly, Williams left in pursuit of a long-time dream. “I always had two goals in life: To work with the WWE and Sesame Street.” The opportunity to do a screen test with the WWE eventually landed him the job as an on-air talent and content creator.
“I was suddenly working in front of the camera and behind it, which is what I always wanted to do. And my love of storytelling and theater were finally brought together because professional wrestling is like the biggest stage of theater that there is!”
Williams was channeling his ambition and creative spirit week after week in the WWE. He worked with larger-than-life personalities and made career-defining moments time and again. Unfortunately, the unexpected challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic led to WWE scaling back on their staff and Williams in search of his next steps. “I thought about pursuing work with other wrestling companies, but I was thinking about having kids and decided to shift my career in a new direction.” He ended up moving from one internationally recognized brand to another, becoming a content producer for Walt Disney World.
“I’m still telling stories, just in a different way,” he explained. And while his full-time role might not be with the WWE, he still works with professional wrestlers and others in the industry as a freelancer.
The lessons that have guided Williams throughout his personal and professional life haven’t changed. They have simply allowed him to constantly evolve and discover his true passions.
“I still feel the same way I did senior year at Bradley. I may not have it all figured out, but the passion is still there. The dedication is still there,” Williams said. “I just want to keep learning and getting better. And that is what I’d tell anyone asking for advice. Don’t give in to pressure to be something you don’t want to be. Try doing your best first and you’ll be surprised how far that will take you.”
